It has been a long time since we took 2 horses to one show leave alone jumped them
in the same classes. This was further complicated by the fact they both share a
saddle. It was certainly a tad hectic and not helped by for the second time in 48
hours me trying to fly from the horse without any wings!!

Both were entered in the British Novice (90cm) and 95cm Amateur class. The weather
sadly was horrendous which meant the show jumping was in the indoor arena not the
bigger outside arema and it was so miserable the outdoor arena was not even used
to warm up. It is great that there is a second indoor arena but it is quite small
and meant warming wasn’t easy. I rode Posy first as being the youngest it meant she
could get the most time. She behaved brilliantly despite the wind rattling things
and warm up being tight. Was a bit nervous going straight in at 90 but needn’t have
worried as except for a green jump at 1 she jumped a very competent clear round.

So then came the first of what was 4 saddle swaps, we did cheat and use a stable
to speed things up. Bobby probably suffered most with struggling to warm up but actually
started his round the best to date but half way round we lost the canter and had
a pole.

There were 4 or 5 in the jump off and although very green Posy was more than capable
of angling a fence and slightly cutting a few corners. Another clear and we finished
2nd in her first BS class even winning a small money prize. (Big plus point)

So straight onto the 95cm class where Posy jumped another clear round. At the moment
we have not got a great contact or connection but she has such talent that even with
this missing she is finding it very easy.

So it was Bobby’s turn for the 95cm and again he was jumping well, we did have a
pole but then he decided I needed some flying practice! In all honesty it was just
one of those things. We approached the double and he slightly screwed and jumped
right over the first part, I straightened him up sharply and he straightened however
I had not got my position back and as he jumped the second part I was catapulted
out the side door! Ouch - I certainly as is my normal way landed with a bang! Luckily
I was only winded and able to hop back and pop a couple of practice jumps outside.

Sadly there wasn’t time to lick my wounds or mend my bruised pride as it was time
for another quick change and Posy in the jump off.

What a good girl I just steered and she produced another clear round for 3rd place.
So two classes, two double clears and two frilly’s!

Today I am certainly walking like someone double my age and trying not to let on
at work that I have tumbled twice since I left on Friday!

28th March

Posy had her first lesson last night working on xc exercises indoors with Caroline
Creighton. I wondered how she would take to this and all I can say is like a duck
to water, we did turning exercises, angles, small corners and skinnies and she did
everything asked of her. In fact the evening would have been perfect except for one
turning exercise which is very tight on a green horse and a gave her a positive boot
to the last part, she slightly humped on landing and then showing how quickly she
could turn leaving me on the floor - whoops

The Whoops clip!

A compilation of the whole session, you will see why I am pleased despite the whoops
moment!

Hoping currently the weather does not play havoc with competition plans but we seem
to be going through an unsettled spell. Tomorrow we are due to be show jumping at
Tall Trees and then hopefully all systems go for Howick a week today with Bobby.

25th March

Today is finally a breather day for me and the horses. Well I had to go to work and
catch up with what had been missed the last couple of days but that is still a bit
of a rest!

Monday we took Bobby XC schooling at Chyverton. Wow he has suddenly got a lot more
mature and really got the hang of it all.

Then on Tuesday we took both horses to meet up with Zoe at Bicton for some practice
in the arena. Posy went first and we are still very much at the getting to know you
stage. We worked on the quality of the canter and keeping her connected.

Starting to get the hang of her now. She has a great technique and didn’t touch a
pole. She is being registered to jump BS as well so they can both go show jumping.

Bobby has matured so much and is startling to get a better rhythm to his fences,
he still sometimes finds it hard to sit on his hind end and take the weight behind
but he is rapidly improving.

So having done some Sjing practice we popped out onto the cross country where he
gave me a magic feel, bold and straight to all the turning and skinny questions.

Love this picture and thanks to Nick Perry for the great pictures

22nd March

Wow what a weekend and another 2 days off to come as using up my holiday before the
end of the council year.

Yesterday we took Posy to her first show jumping show with me, we bravely entered
the 80 and 90 but she is such a natural this didn’t seem a push.

The first round in the 80 she was green and we rather waggoned round but we left
everything up fairly comfortably. She didn’t worry about the water tray at the last
fence either.

The jump off was better and we finished with another clear to finish 4th.

We jumped the 90cm although even if this had been a clear I would have left it there
as the courses were long enough. As it happened we were eliminated for starting before
the bell despite both Mum and I hearing it (must have moved it near the mike I guess!)

This round was certainly the best, we just got a bit long and she knocked a spread
out but actually that did her good as she really operated after that.

Looking at the videos I definitely need to ride her a bit more between leg and hand
but as a getting to know you exercise it was very successful.

So we took Posy home and swapped her for Bobby and the jumping boots for some white
bandages. We then headed for a dressage lesson with Stef Eardsley. My first lesson
with Stef and I liked her training style very much. We started off working on the
canter and using a medium canter to really engage the hind leg. Bobby then showed
off his recent issue that having learnt to sit more in the canter he has also discovered
a huge trot, yet at the moment he can’t quite control the power and ends up belting
off. Stef made me really ride it rather than accept he struggled actually do something
about it. She then set up and exercise making a square using two dressage boards
at B and E and then a cone tight to each corner so you had to really down the revs
to get in and round before allowing them to power out. Well that was the idea the
first time we jumped the dressage board and he never quite settled to the exercise
although once we moved away from it then he did some great work on a circle and I
was encouraged to introduce some power to the trot work.

We finished working on a smooth canter transition. He can sometimes jump into canter
and other times run so established a good trot and then used a firm aid to pop him
into canter. I had some of the best flat work we have had together and she really
helped move us to the next level.

So today while Posy had a quiet day it was Bobby’s turn to jump at his first BS show
as a registered horse (overgrown pony!). The British Novice was a big enough track
and the first time he had started at that height. He can still be green at new venues
and hadn’t jumped here before and you can see he approaches the first jump and rather
cat leaps in surprise! I had to ride him a bit more forward than ideal and as the
round went on he got a bit flat and we were caught out in the double. However on
the whole I was delighted with how he went.

So tomorrow Bobby is off cross country schooling and Tuesday both go to Bicton to
use the SJ course and then Bobby can have a turn round the cross country jumps there
- all go.

19th March

Amazing how much more extra time another horse takes! Never mind all the extra plus
the diet and I will get back in my hacking jacket for Howick! We are definitely in
and competing on the Easter Saturday.

Had a good jump with them both earlier in the week and Posy finds things very easy.
We finished jumping a course of 1m without her even trying!

16th March

Had another really good lesson with Caroline this weekend. Working on indoor cross
country type exercises. (Make the best of it until we can get out on the cross country).
He is improving so much in this area although he doesn’t always lock on to fences
yet like Sarnie always did and Pip learnt to do. Asked some decent questions though
and he really started to take them on.

So we have entered his first BE event with a trip to Howick (Chepstow area) in the
BE90. With 3 weeks to go feeling a little unprepared XC wise as was hoping for an
unaffiliated run somewhere however hoping we can get a couple more schooling sessions
in.

11th March

With the greys getting all the attention Sarnie has been feeling a bit abandoned.
Realistically I have had to face facts that there is something preventing her from
wanting to work properly and considering she is now 16 and been my horse of a lifetime
I won’t be pushing her to do anything she doesn’t want to. However I am still hoping
that we can have a foal from her.

So yesterday she came in where she met the new pipsqueak (picture was snapped a second
before she tried to eat her). If Posy turns out half as good as Sarnie I will be
delighted.

Sarnie was scanned by the vet (Joe from Rosevean) who could tell she was cycling
properly and probably mid cycle. She was swabbed and once we have a clear result
next week she will be travelling to see her future husband. Fingers are firmly crossed
for some success this year although realistically we know that there is a chance
she won’t get in foal.

9th March

Gave both horses a jump yesterday, first time travelling them together and separating
them although they don’t know each other well enough for this to be a problem yet!
Not sure that Posy thinks much of Bobby anyway.

Posy was first up and still keeping things quite light. Worked a little to warm up
at moving her off my right leg into the left hand as currently she has a tendency
to sit on the right hand. This is something that will take time. Jumped a small course
with her and she made it feel very easy, she is straightforward, athletic and jumps
from any stride.

She’s now having a few well deserved quiet days which is also tying in with her first
flu jab. Mind you her most stressful activity at the moment seems being turned out
so hope she soon settles to this. We turn out individually as she was in Ireland
but being a smaller yard she is not always in sight of others and then gets stressed.
I am sure she will settle soon.

So onto Bobby, we carried on working on the quality of the canter and getting him
to sit on his hocks and therefore jump better. He is continuing to improve at a rate
of knots and he jumped really well.

As you will also hear with Zoe’s shouts it is important with Bobby that I keep sat
up to help him. So some really good sessions. However with Bobby’s first BE at Howick
fast approaching I am starting to worry regarding the lack of cross country schooling
or competition opportunities.

7th March

Took the opportunity today to pop Posy over to our local venue Colraine and do a
dressage test. Always a nice starting point as dressage days are usually quite laid
back yet still gives the opportunity to see what they are like in a slightly busier
environment.

She was great, walked her round in hand and let her settle before warming up and
then doing the test indoors. Although the test itself showed we have some getting
to know each other to do she was well behaved. Just struggling at the moment with
a bit of an uneven contact, she has an old crack in her mouth and I don’t think this
is helping much. Means she is not as straight as I would like but this just needs
a bit of time.

So here's the test which I was delighted with for a first attempt.

She scored 64% which considering the mistakes was fabulous and came 4th :) Sadly
rosettes only went to 3rd.

4th March

All go at the moment and today was Posy’s first outing. It was just a low key lesson
with Robert Pickles an ideal way to get her out and about without putting too much
pressure on her. I was really pleased with her she loaded well, travelled well and
although bright on arrival and a real wriggle to tack up she came out the lorry and
was easy to mount, walked up to the school and was good as gold.

At the moment she tires quite quickly so we had a short session doing some basic
work such as leg yielding out off a circle, some basic serpentines and just sharpening
up her canter transitions. At the moment she is a little one sided and leans on the
right rein but this has already improved.

Robert loved her which was very encouraging. A video of some of the work we did today.

A really good outing and very pleased with her attitude today.

3rd March

Following a successful trip jumping on Sunday we looked to consolidate today in a
bigger arena and outdoors at Bicton. They had an eventers Sjing with similar heights
to BE. We had hoped when we orginally planned to come we could do some XC training
too but sadly it was too wet. The show jumping however was great and he jumped his
best rounds to date.

The 85cm suddenly felt small and certainly in this size arena it will be the last
time we jump a class this small. He jumped a good clear leaving him in 4th

The 95cm was an even better round although we made one mistake for 4 faults.

Suddenly making big strides forward with him and can’t wait for the eventing and
outdoor season generally to start. Disappointingly our first hunter trial at Pontispool
next weekend has already fallen victim to the weather.

1st March

With Posy settling into life as part of the Shoestring string Bobby had a chance
to make sure he kept ahead of the competition. We headed off to get some rounds under
our belt at the Threewaters Riding Club Open Show Jumping at Resparveth. The forecast
was mixed but we thought we had got away with it as we arrived in lovely sunshine.
An hour later as I warmed up (outside) for our first class the wind suddenly seemed
to reach gale force and the hail and rain sheeted down. The other 5 horses in the
warm up disappeared leaving Bobby who continued to warm up despite the weather. Whilst
it may have seemed a bit mad it was in the back of my mind that it may do this at
an event one day and at least we would be prepared. Now I know he is good in future
I will be running for shelter too!

The first class was an 85cm accumulator. He jumped a clear round still green in places
but improving all the time. We certainly were not up to jumping the joker but the
clear round left us in 5th place.

The next class was a 90cm and a decent track in what was a tight school for a green
horse. There were also tricky turns with a tight line to the double and a tight line
to the last. The round started well, we had a green jump into the double but he managed,
at times he just lost the bounce in the canter so before the final line I brought
him back to walk and regrouped, typically it was next fence we then had down and
with a tough line to the last decided to circle and get a nice line rather than wagon
it as I would of done if we were still clear.